Magic Binds
Page 89

Ha!
“Should Adora also demonstrate her skills?” I asked, my voice so sweet you could dip a pancake into it. “Would you like to pick a target?”
“No. Now that the theatrics are out of the way, what can we do for you?” Ghastek said.
Here we go. “My father intends to attack the Keep at the beginning of the next magic wave. I intend to defend Atlanta against this invasion. I’d like you to join me.”
“You expect us to fight?” Constance asked.
“Yes.”
“Against your father?” Ryan Kelly asked. Even his purple Mohawk seemed incredulous.
“Yes.”
Toakase shook her head.
Ghastek raised his hand. “No.”
“Think about it,” Curran said. “It will make sense to you.”
Ghastek’s eyes narrowed. He was running through possible scenarios in his head trying to figure out what he’d missed. Maybe we’d get lucky and he would talk himself into it. Reach deep inside and sacrifice. I wish I knew what the hell she was talking about, because it would sure help right about now.
Pillman checked his watch. “This is ridiculous. After this morning’s phone call, we’re under no obligation to humor her any longer. Just throw her and her has-been shapeshifter out.”
Erra tore into existence in front of Pillman and backhanded him. The Master of the Dead flew back and fell on his ass.
“Bow, worm!” My aunt’s magic raged. “Bow before my niece. You’re not fit to lick her boots.”
The Masters of the Dead froze, horrified. Rowena’s face turned completely white. Next to me Adora unsheathed her katana. Blood-red wings snapped out of Christopher’s back.
A sharp calculation was taking place in Ghastek’s eyes. Above us vampires sprinted as he pulled them to him. Julie was a full twenty feet from me. This was about to turn bloody.
Now. I had to do it now.
Show them that you love them above all others.
I did love this land. I loved the city and the people within it. That’s why I fought so hard to protect it. I couldn’t ask it to give its magic, but I could give up a little of my own. I reached deep inside me and took the magic the same way I had taken it from the land, except now it came from within my soul.
It hurt.
“There is no need to shout.” I stepped toward Pillman, and my aunt moved out of my way. The Master of the Dead stared at me. His pupils widened. I reached for him. My hand almost glowed, as if dusted with gold. “Are you hurt?”
He reached out, hesitant, and touched my hand. I grasped his fingers. “Rise.”
“You . . .” Pillman stood up, his face stunned.
“Behold In-Shinar,” Julie intoned. “Daughter of the Builder of Towers, niece of the City Eater, Guardian of Atlanta.”
Burning my own magic hurt so much. I couldn’t let them see the pain.
“Don’t be afraid,” I told Pillman. “I’m not my father. He doesn’t value you. I do. He is far, unreachable, and distant. But I am here.”
He swallowed, his fingers fastened on my hand. I motioned toward the others. Pillman took one hesitant step back. Then another. That seemed to be as far from me as he was willing to go.
“My father doesn’t recognize your talents.” I looked straight at Ghastek. “I do. I know what you’re capable of.”
Their faces looked torn between hope and fear, caught in some weird emotion I couldn’t pin down. The technology was up and I stood among them, emanating magic. And each second I did cost me more than they would ever know. It was that or the city would fall.
They recognized this magic. Some of them had seen it before, because I saw the excitement and fear in their eyes. They were drawn to it like moths to a flame. It was the magic of my blood, the one that made the vampires possible, except now it was directed at them. They wanted my approval. I sensed it. Beyond them journeymen stood unmoving, shocked.
I finally pinned down their expressions. Awe.
Rowena knelt. Filipa was praying, her voice an urgent whisper.
Ghastek walked toward me and went down on one knee, looking up at me.
“What are you doing?” he whispered.
“Saving all of us from being drowned in our blood and my father’s fire,” I whispered. “He’s going to throw you and your vampires at the Keep. You will be decimated. Your vampires will be gone; your position within Atlanta will be eliminated. If you survive, you will have to start from scratch, Ghastek.”
His face told me he didn’t want to start from scratch.
“You’re outside the inner circle. It will take you years to climb higher. Even if you become his Legatus, your life will be short. He will never care about you, Ghastek. I care. You are my friend. You are the best there is at what you do. This is your chance. Don’t do it because of what’s happening now. Do it because it makes sense.”
“You know my price,” Ghastek whispered.
“I know.” The irony was that he already had what he was asking for. He was my friend. I already cared about him. I would already do whatever I could to keep him breathing.
“Swear it,” Ghastek said.
I smiled at him. My voice rang. “Rise, Legatus of my Legion. Work with me, advise me, be my friend, and you will live forever.”
• • •
THE AIR OUTSIDE the Casino tasted sweet.
“How did you do that?” Curran asked.
“She burned her own magic,” my aunt said. “If she were a normal human, you would’ve seen her aging.”
The look on Curran’s face was indescribable.
“Relax, half-breed,” Erra said. “She has lifetimes to spare. That wasn’t half-bad for your first time. You’ll get better with practice.”
“I won’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have no plans to conquer. I don’t want any more troops. I don’t want to do any more persuading.”
“You say that now.”
I turned toward her. “Look inside me.”
Erra’s eyes narrowed. “You mean it. You have no ambition.”
“No. I don’t want to conquer or rule. I want to contain my father.”
“This will be interesting,” my aunt said.
Behind us the banner of In-Shinar, a field of pure emerald green with a single blue stripe, streamed from the spire above the Casino’s walls.